Archives: Walk Directory

The Walk in Detail

Walk N along the GDT  (a grassy easement skirting the eastern slopes of Mt Blackwood) for 700mts and turn right to go through a small gateway onto Lower Chadwick Track. Continue on Lower Chadwick Track ensuring you veer left (1.5km) at the junction of this track with McKenzie Tk. Continue on Lower Chadwick for 1.2km and take a steep downhill until reaching the junction of the Razorback Track and the Lerderderg River.

Continue on the Razorback Track (steep climb) to Strachan Hill. The track changes to a management track just short of Strachan Hill. Continue on the Razorback track, past a turn-off to the Spanish Onion track on the right. Turn left where the Razorback track meets the Square Bottle track. Follow this track for a short distance before turning left onto Mount Blackwood Road (or tracks beside this road). Mount Blackwood Road contains a short section of bitumen paving, before you turn left onto Tower track (a dirt road). Head into the Mount Blackwood communications tower area for some great views stretching to Melbourne, Geelong, the You Yangs and across the Lerderderg State Park. Return back to Tower track, heading to the east (right) where the track meets the Lerderderg track. Head down this track until reaching the GDT again. At this point there will be a stile or a small fence to climb. Then head south (right) until meeting back with the cars.

The Walk in Detail

Starting from the junction of Obriens Road and Whisky Track, the walk proceeds 3.6 km SE down Whisky Track then after passing Kenworth Track on the left continue along Vodka Track for a further 1.5 km - descending into Whisky Creek. Some mild scrambling along the creek bed for about 2.2 km to join the Lerderderg River. Cross the river (be prepared for wet feet, possible knee-high water crossing), then a rock scramble steeply up to Razorback N Track on the ridge above. Follow this track West and then North for 400m passing Spanish Onion Track on the right to join Cowan Track. Cowan Track is often narrow (single file), with steep edges. Continue north for 4.1 km and turn left (North) onto O’Brien Road, from where the walk branches off to the right shortly afterwards onto Trout Track. Follow Trout Track north for about 1.4km, descending steeply into Sardine Creek. 

After crossing Sardine Creek (easier creek crossing) climb steeply north up Trout Track for 1.0 km to join Ambler Lane. Follow Ambler Lane SW to cross the Lerderderg River (be prepared for wet feet again, possible knee-high water crossing), then another steep climb up Ambler Lane to join Obriens Road to finish at the car shuffle vehicle (or two).

The Walk in Detail

Take the Easter Monday Track West for approximately 800m, when we first meet a cross intersection where we turn Left and sidle around a little. If you were going to Foster Lookout would go straight ahead at this intersection.   From this track we then turned left again (WSW), and continue along this track – passing an entrance of the Easter Monday Mine, swinging around to the Right and uphill for about 600m to the mullock heap at the rear of the mine (morning tea).   

Continue North along this track for 700 m, veering left (NW) to re-join the Easter Monday Track, then South for 400m to meet New Sultan Road.  Turn left and walk South along the road for 200m and veer left (SE) onto Blackwood Ridge Road for about 100m.         Take the track on the right and walk for a further 100m, veering right, and after an additional 100m, join the German Track.    Continue South along this track and turn Right (West) at the intersection, and after 1.6 km (West, then South), walk 900m (SW) to Paradise Road.  Turn Right, and walk West along the road for 400m, then turn Right (North) onto Paradise Track, and walk for 400m to a clearing for lunch.

After lunch, back-track to Paradise Road, and from there, walk a further 200m South to veer Left onto the continuation of Paradise Track.  Follow this track South for 600m to Nevill Track and turn left at Mt Barker Road.  Follow this road SE for 300m, then turn Left onto Pipe Track.  Walk NE for 1.2 kms to Paradise Road then veer Right and after 100m, turn left (NE) onto Swinley Track.  Continue NE along this track for 2.6 kms (ignoring several track intersections on the Right and Left) to Blackwood Ridge Road.  Turn Left and walk North for 200m to veer Right onto a track.  Follow this track North for 1.1 kms – passing the first track on the Right and turning Right (East) onto Easter Monday Track.  Fosters lookout is about 200m East along this track. From the lookout, walk East for a further 2.0 kms along the Easter Monday Track to the Start. 

The Walk in Detail

Walk N along the GDT  (a grassy easement skirting the eastern slopes of Mt Blackwood) for 700mts and turn right to go through a small gateway onto Lower Chadwick Track. Continue on Lower Chadwick Track ensuring you veer left (1.5km) at the junction of this track with McKenzie Tk. Continue on Lower Chadwick for 1.2km and take a steep downhill until reaching the junction of the Razorback Track and the Lerderderg River.

Leave the track at the junction of Lower Chadwick and Razor Back tracks (which turns right at this point) and follow the river SW for 1km to McKenzie’s Campsite.  Continue to follow the river SSW for a further 1.6 kms to join the Ah Kow Track. A small grassy flat on the east side above the bank marks the Ah Kow ruin. Return to the west side of the river and start the extremely steep and tiring climb up Ah Kow Spur. Follow this track for 2.9 kms to pass the Brigette Becker Memorial, then a further 1.0 km to meet the Blackwood Range Track.  Turn right and follow this track for 200m to the gate at the end of Lohs Lane and the carpark.

The Walk in Detail

Take the unsigned 4wd track south of the car park, and head uphill for a long steady 200m climb for the first 2.5 kms along this Easter Monday Track. At the 4-way junction, continue straight ahead, uphill and westerly. (If Easter Monday mine is to be visited, the left fork should be followed instead). It is a steady uphill to the unmarked Fosters Lookout. The wide space on the left of the track is where once a picnic table was positioned to enjoy the view. No view at all now. 

Continue 600m West to New Sultan Track, ignoring the track coming in from the left from Easter Sunday mine. At New Sultan Track, turn left (South), and walk 300m. At the intersection with Blackwood Ridge Road, on the Southwest corner, there is a hidden open area suitable for morning tea. 

At Blackwood Ridge Rd, turn Right and follow this West, past German Track to an entrance on the right to the higher ground of McLaughlin’s Lookout, 825m. There is an old sign just after this entrance. View is very limited. Unattractive open car park here now. 

Continue west along Blackwood Ridge Road for 400m, (past Wheeler Track) to Green Gully Track. Turn Right (North) here.   Ignore a track on the left, and after 1.1 km from Blackwood Ridge Road, at the Y intersection, take left fork with Creek on your left.   Ignore next left track, and at T intersection (Wheeler’s Track), go left to Lerderderg Rd.   Cross the road and follow GDT signs, and don’t miss where it soon takes a right turn. 

Follow GDT signs. On the long downhill where fallen trees have been cleared, there is a minor unclear turn. Follow track left, not straight ahead. Cross a small gap on old log and climb down and up out of small creek to a 4wd track. Good lunch spot here, left, at the river. Return the few metres to where you exited creek, follow 4wd track up a very short way and take the signed GDT track to the left. Follow the GDT back to Jack Cann Reserve, ensuring you don’t miss where the track seems to double back for a short way.

The Walk in Detail

The walk starts from the corner of Spargo-Blakeville Road and Ballan-Daylesford Road.   Walk SW along Spargo-Blakeville rd for 1.6 kms and turn left (SW) onto Reserve Track; then walk a further 3.4 kms to the main road.   Cross the road, veering left at the Y junction then turn Left at the next track T intersection.  Follow this track North for 1.3 kms (keeping the road on your left) then turn Right (SE) and walk for 1.1 kms to the Werribee River Campground.  Continue South along the Werribee River Walk loop for 2.1 kms to the carpark, then continue North over the river along the Werribee River Walk for 2.2 kms - ignoring tracks on the Left.  Turn right onto Carroll Track, then after 500m, veer Left onto McGees Rd.  Walk 100m and veer left to stay on McGees Rd, then after 300m turn left (West) onto the walking track.  Continue West, then North along this track (ignoring other intersecting tracks) for 2.7 kms to Spargo-Blakeville Rd, then turn left (West) for 1.0 km back to the start.

The Walk in Detail

At the picnic ground it is worth following the old Firth Sawmill circuit, 300 metres. At a 4wd track, turn left almost immediately towards the creek to return to the Picnic Ground. 

Back at the Picnic Area, cross the bridge to the east and walk 100m to Nolan Ridge Trk. Turn right and follow the signed Lerderderg Track for 3 km. At Nolan Creek Rd, turn right for 650m. At a sharp corner, follow the LT signs west along Stockyard Creek for 2km. At the T intersection, turn right. At Camp Rd, walk north to the Balt Camp ruins on the left. 

After lunch behind the ruins, continue North on Camp Rd for approximately 2.0 kms, then turn Right (NE) onto Olsen Track. Follow Olsen Track for 1.2 km to Lerderderg Rd. Turn right, East, and follow for 2.3 Km to Nolan Creek Picnic Ground.

The Walk in Detail

From the Hepburn Springs car park, walk uphill East for 100m along the 4WD track veering right (SE), and after a further 100m; then left after a short distance at the Y junction.   Continue East for a further 2.0 kms almost to the Midland Highway (ignoring three track intersections on the Right), then turn left (North) and left again (NNW) for 700m to Back Hepburn Road.  Cross over (it's quite a quiet road), then pick up a west bound track (to the left) about 50m off Manning Road.   Follow this track for 800m to a track T intersection and turn Left (South) onto Dry Diggings Track.   Walk 200m, then turn Left again at the T intersection (South), and after 400m cross the Back Hepburn Rd.  There is an option to climb Jackson's lookout on the right.  Follow this track back to the Hepburn Springs car park (toilets and picnic area).

Then take the track from the west end of the car park to the track that crosses the bridge.  Turn SE and walk 200m then veer left at the Y junction, and follow this track for a further 2.1 kms to the Hepburn reservoir – and ignoring tracks on the left along the way.   Turn Right, then after 300m turn right again and follow this track NW for 1.2 kms (ignoring tracks on the Left and crossing a shallow creek along the way) to a T intersection. Turn right (North) and walk 300m and turn left to join Third St, then walk North along the outskirts of Hepburn - past the dam and aboriginal swimming hole for,1.0 km.  At the 4-way track intersection, continue straight North and Northwest to the Hepburn Springs car park.

The Walk in Detail

Follow the trail initially goes due east down Shanahan’s Lane & Manna Gum Road, cutting through and along an old railway alignment, and onto the Lost Childrens Walk for 2.2 kms.  Turn left (North) and continue along the Lost Childrens Track for a further 3.7 kms then down to Jubilee Lake. Continue towards town and take a gentle walk to the left of the lake and continue North along the Lerderderg Track/Rail Trail for a further 1.3 kms – crossing Patterson Street and turning left onto a walking track.  Follow this track NW to Lake Daylesford then the path to Bleakly Street and over the road bridge to the Boathouse Car park. Follow the Goldfields Track SW then NW for 1.7 km and cross the main road to the Twin Bridges picnic area.  Double back across the main road, and after a short distance turn South onto the Goldfields/Lost Childrens track.   After 400m veer Right onto the track, then for a short distance along Old Ballarat Road to turn Left (SSE) to rejoin the Goldfields/Lost Childrens track.   Continue along this signposted track in a Southerly direction for 6.2 kms branching Right onto the Goldfields Track.  Continue West then South for a further 700m and branch Left (South) - leaving the Goldfields Track - for a further 1.0 back to a final climb up the steps to Sailors Falls and our cars. 

The Walk in Detail

Starting at the Blackwood Picnic Ground we’ll cross the bridge, sample the spring water then head up the stairs and follow the trail up to Shaws Lake.  Continuing on wide fire trail roads through pretty forest to Tunnel Point Track, we turn right, now it gets a bit rougher underfoot but is still pretty good and wide for 5km, then we start heading down hill to the river, here its steep, narrow and in places rocky so poles are highly recommended. On reaching the river we’ll have lunch and inspect The Tunnel which was blasted through during the mining era to redirect the river for gold mining. After lunch there’s a short rock scramble to climb down into what’s usually a dry river to cross to the other side, then its uphill on the rocky and steep Gribble Track for approx 200 metres where we turn right and follow Byers Back Track for approx. 9km’s back to Blackwood, the cars and a cuppa!  Byers Back Track is an old water race, again a relic from the mining era, so its flat and follows the river in a very winding fashion, we pass some old tailing heaps plus a great old mine tunnel that you can walk into for several meters so bring a head torch if you’re interested in having a look.  This is a pretty bushland area with some great scenic views, a touch of history and in October the wildflowers should be in full bloom making is spectacular.